How to Wear Plus Twos and Plus Fours
For a more formal shoot, breeks are a must, but in reality plus twos or fours are the most versatile and practical garments you can have in your country wardrobe repertoire.
If you are lucky enough to have been invited on a more formal shoot, on a driven day where a certain dress code is expected, breeks are essential. Wear them with a matching vest in warmer months and an action back jacket or field coat later in the season.
On a walked up shoot or similarly less formal occasion, breeks are still your best option – team with a tattersall shirt and Schoffel Oakham fleece when weather permits or a Schoffel Ultralight or the Hurricane Field Coat when the weather is inclement.
What makes breeks so practical?
Plus Twos and Plus Fours are worn with shooting stockings, which means you aren’t trying to pack your trousers and socks into wellingtons or worse still trying to roll shooting stockings up over trousers if you are wearing boots. When worn correctly the breeks and shooting stocking come together to create an impermeable join. If it is raining, water runs off the breeks at the knee rather than soaking your whole trouser leg. The wider fit of the breek around the knee gives you a level of movement that trousers simply can’t give you, making climbing over styles and even bending down much easier. It is also easier to swap your boots over to brogues for lunch, ensuring your outfit still looks smart.
What is the difference between Plus Twos and Plus Fours?
The number indicates the inches below the knee the breeks sit – so Plus Twos are two inches below the knee and Plus Fours four inches. Our plus fours also have a double pleat front which makes the silhouette fuller and roomier than the plus two which has a flat front and narrower leg. Which you prefer is a matter of taste, as both are equally practical. Golfers tend to wear a plus four or even a plus six, but for shooting the plus twos are more popular. Our plus twos have a side adjuster waist, whilst our plus fours have a ‘fish tail’ back which gives a higher rise at the back, creating even more protection against the elements.
Our ladies breek has a flattering flat front and neater silhouette, similar to the men’s plus two, and is finished with Alcantara trim and belt loops. We offer these in a range of tweeds with matching jackets and field coats or our soft supple Lancastrian moleskin with a small amount of stretch for ease of movement.
How to wear Plus Twos and Fours
Both styles are best worn with trouser braces; these will ensure your trousers stay comfortably in place as you swing your arms to shoot. When attaching your shooting stockings to the breeks, make sure that you put the shooting stockings over the bottom of the breek, and then use the garter to create a snug join. Knot the garter firmly then fold down the cuff of the shooting stocking to cover the join.
Fabric choices
Tweed is the ultimate performance fabric in the field; naturally water repellent, breathable and hard wearing. Our British woven tweeds also come with a Teflon coated finish, which although imperceptible makes them even more water and dirt repellent. Our core range of shooting tweeds, such as the House Check and Firley Herringbone are available in a range of styles from caps, shooting waistcoats to field coats and shooting accessories. After wearing, dry in a warm environment (not too close to direct heat) and then brush off any mud. If you are looking for a cotton option, our Lancastrian moleskin or corduroy are the perfect choices. Similarly water repellent they’re made in robust pure cotton cloths.
Choosing a well-tailored pair of breeks made in a superior cloth is a sound investment. They are the ultimate work horse in the field; versatile, practical and effortlessly smart.
